Just, 0 for 3 on the movie adaptations, right? I don't know how you mess up Dark Tower THAT badly (hopefully the Amazon show or wherever they're doing it is better) but holy heck. Same for The Stand remake they're doing, hopefully it's a little better now.

I haven't read the Caesar series, but I did read a book recently that's the same type of "using what facts we know and filling the rest in with fiction" type of book. Now, I've never read the Bible myself, but this book was written by Ann Wroe and it's simply titled "Pontius Pilate." I guess there's really not very much at all known about him? So, it uses a lot of speculation and what factual evidence there is (and some myth) to try to piece together his life. It acknowledges different ideas, interpretations, and possibilities, it doesn't ever try to present itself as the definitive story but tries to find the truth amongst multiple stories regarding him. It truly was fascinating and was such an incredibly vivid picture of the times he lived in, I have no idea how a person has such a clear vision but she really knocked it out of the park. I bet you'd enjoy it.

I will have to look into that Pontius Pilate book sounds intriguing. Yes, all thee of those movies were hot garbage. I am not sure those books can be adapted to film but I would have said the same thing about Lord of the Rings and it was at least decent.

1. World War Z, Max Brooks - Presented in the style of firsthand accounts of the zombie apocalypse, aftermath, and recovery, the style just works here. Provides assessments of how the zombies spread (including missteps along the way), and how various countries fought back against it. Was a very hard book for me to put down, and don't bother with the movie.

3. Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton - Made the mistake of picking up this book right before one of my finals my freshman year in college. Ever have one of those books that you just can't put down? Yeah, it was about 5am before I noticed that I had a final in three hours. Whoops...but the book was that enjoyable for me. Took the final then came back and continued to read instead of going to sleep. Anyway, you know the plot of the book.

5. Station Eleven Emily St. John Mandel - I love dystopian future novels with a twist, and Mandel does a terrific job of drawing you into the characters. The novel jumps between the start of the flu that ends up wiping out 99% of the population and almost 20 years after the outbreak. I won't say much else because I don't want to spoil any of it for you that might want (you should) check it out.

All great reads. Like I said my list could change on any given day depending on my mood. In reality there are so many great books in so many different genres its hard to actually rank them.

I can see I have distinctively different preferences from everyone else, but here you go anyway...

1 Five FamiliesSelwy Raab Called the Bible of the mafia, Raab covers the mafia from Italy to Jersey and everything in between.It is a fascinating read that discusses and examines the effect of the mob on society, the law on the mob and the weight of omertŗ.Walking through the creation of the RICO statute from the 50's to the fall of the mob in the 90's, Hoover's FBI rejecting the evidence the mob exists, how law enforcement used technology, Joe Pistone, Goodfellas, Gotti, The Godfather, all covered in such a fastidious manner, your head will be swimming with intrigue.

11/22/63Stephen KingIf's ands buts, c Andy and nuts.

Blackhawk Down: A Story of Modern WarfareMark BowdenThis book evolved out of an in depth series Mark was writing for the Philadelphia Enquirer regarding the US involvement in Somalia in 93.As one of the first (I think he was actually the first to have such unfettered access) to gain insight directly from archives and soldiers from the Rangers and Delta forces, Bowden built a timeline of harrowing, gut wrenching and heroic events involving the US military in its involvement of a civil war in Somalia.While reading this book, you see how easily good intentions go bad and humanitarian efforts turn in to revenge and how needlessly lives are lost and changed for ever. Mark demonstrates how the goalposts move during time of war and what a soldier faces in dire situations asking the question, how would you react?The film adaptation was well done, but do your self a favor and read the book.And not for nothing but while I think of it, read Bowdens book on Pablo Escobar too, just as mesmerizing and exhaustive.

Some great books. I don't think your tastes are different its just hard to narrow the list and not miss some great books.

Top Five..................................................................websites you visit daily? A bit boring, I know, I know, but I'm bored at work and can't think of anything else (well, I thought of Top 5 Vacations but I didn't feel like typing quite THAT much myself).

Oh, and don't use BSB, just, because, I mean obviously.

In no particular order:

1) io9 - this is where I get a lot of my sci-fi/fantasy and comic book movie news. They merged with gizmodo, although I still usually go to io9 classic (basically I deal with fictional science vs actual science, I guess). I enjoy the articles here, although the site's content isn't as good since Charlie Jane Anders and...I can't think of the other editor's name right now, but since they both left.

2) Deadspin - I mean, obvi. Kissing Suzy Kolber is dead, FireJoeMorgan is long dead and I don't go to Bleacher Report or SB Nation, so this is my sports in comedy in one space. Plus, Drew Magary.

3) Twitter - I used to follow a crazy amount of people, although it was mostly literary: Authors, publishers, editors, agents, etc. There were some sports people in there (mostly the former KSK staff) and what-not, but I recently cut down majorly and now follow ONLY 8 people for my mental health, and they're all just authors (and one Forbes movie reviewer).

4) AVClub - similar to io9, but this covers the rest of the movies (and TV shows) that don't fall into the sci-fi/fantasy category. A combination of their reviews, io9's and Scott's (the Forbes reviewer) are what I reference when deciding whether to see a movie I'm on the fence about. I can usually tell by their styles and who's writing the reviews whether I'm likely to enjoy something they hated or agree with their assessment.

5) Kotaku - Kinda like io9 and AVClub (and all under the Gizmodo Media Group now, whereas AVClub USED to be owned by TheOnion, who I think is also now owned by GMG). Kotaku is for anime, manga, cosplay and video games, however I use the /kotakucore URl so I only get video game news from here, because I just don't care about the other stuff. Good way to keep up on news in the industry, they have some fun little features (Highlight Reel is usually a pretty funny, short video showing off video game glitches or cool gameplay). Also Jason Schreier is a really good writer and I enjoy his articles and his first novel, Blood, Sweat and Pixels (he has another one in the works I'm excited about too).

Top Five..................................................................websites you visit daily? A bit boring, I know, I know, but I'm bored at work and can't think of anything else (well, I thought of Top 5 Vacations but I didn't feel like typing quite THAT much myself).

Oh, and don't use BSB, just, because, I mean obviously.

In no particular order:

1) io9 - this is where I get a lot of my sci-fi/fantasy and comic book movie news. They merged with gizmodo, although I still usually go to io9 classic (basically I deal with fictional science vs actual science, I guess). I enjoy the articles here, although the site's content isn't as good since Charlie Jane Anders and...I can't think of the other editor's name right now, but since they both left.

2) Deadspin - I mean, obvi. Kissing Suzy Kolber is dead, FireJoeMorgan is long dead and I don't go to Bleacher Report or SB Nation, so this is my sports in comedy in one space. Plus, Drew Magary.

3) Twitter - I used to follow a crazy amount of people, although it was mostly literary: Authors, publishers, editors, agents, etc. There were some sports people in there (mostly the former KSK staff) and what-not, but I recently cut down majorly and now follow ONLY 8 people for my mental health, and they're all just authors (and one Forbes movie reviewer).

4) AVClub - similar to io9, but this covers the rest of the movies (and TV shows) that don't fall into the sci-fi/fantasy category. A combination of their reviews, io9's and Scott's (the Forbes reviewer) are what I reference when deciding whether to see a movie I'm on the fence about. I can usually tell by their styles and who's writing the reviews whether I'm likely to enjoy something they hated or agree with their assessment.

5) Kotaku - Kinda like io9 and AVClub (and all under the Gizmodo Media Group now, whereas AVClub USED to be owned by TheOnion, who I think is also now owned by GMG). Kotaku is for anime, manga, cosplay and video games, however I use the /kotakucore URl so I only get video game news from here, because I just don't care about the other stuff. Good way to keep up on news in the industry, they have some fun little features (Highlight Reel is usually a pretty funny, short video showing off video game glitches or cool gameplay). Also Jason Schreier is a really good writer and I enjoy his articles and his first novel, Blood, Sweat and Pixels (he has another one in the works I'm excited about too).

I don't visit that many really, I mean I do, but they bleed off of somewhere else.

1) Reddit - Millennieal driven and exhibiting all of the views typically associated with that term, but I subscribe to quirky fun type things, fascinating facts, movie/tv media and the like. And then more serious topics like fitness and nutrition which I obviously ignore in my daily life.

2) Twitter - here, I follow local sports beat writers and a few bloggers that appear to avoid fanboy YouTube esque type articles. Also found a few from other teams that help with an overall view.A few news feed sites and celebrities that aren't agenda driven typically, ala John Cleese, Steve Martin.

3) A/V Club - about once a week I pop in here to see what's going on

4) Random sites - I'm forever tunneling down the rabbit hole of the mafia or US history civil war era on so there's always random tabs open on these and other subjects....which gives me an idea...

Lets see if this one has legs....(and still curious to hear from more of you about but's topic above)For me, there are almost always tabs open on my browser dedicated to the one or more of the following:

1) MafiaJust an endless array of characters covering decades upon decades and other countries as well. Its near endless what you can touch on and Im fascinated by the subject. This also bleeds into other gangsters, ala Escobar, et al.

2) Jimi HendrixI think Hendrix was one of our finest musicians and Im often saddened when I stop and think for a moment how he would have continued to evolve and enthrall us all with his talents. Obviously this spills over in to the origins of rock stemming from old blues etc

3) History of the Southwest from the Civil War forward. Or, simply, Cowboys and Indians.I find it captivating to read about these characters, but also the modernization of the area and how it all blends together. Can you fathom a telephone pole in Deadwood? Much like the mob, its just almost endless what you can learn here with so many great historians among us deciphering the myths and legends I had always heard about growing up.

4) Film makingNot as much in to it nowadays as I was when I was gearing up for that line of work, but I still love reading about moviemaking and how the art moves from the mind to the page to the screen. When watching films, I try to figure out what is truly being relayed to the viewer, what was the director not able to say that he wanted to and why?

5) Fascinating facts and pop culture of other generations.This could boil down to other generations in general and likely bleeds off of my other categories listed.Did you know the bikini came to be in the US during WWII rationing of fabric? This is kind of like my Cliff Clavin category, but with depth ;-)

2. Twitter - another place I can't let go of. Typically find more up to date news here though, whether it's sports related or something related to King Dotardus the First and his idiot band of racist xenophobes. Whoops, there I go talking again-if you're shocked by that you must not know me well.

3. Reddit - Got hooked on to this a bit more recently, but some decent stuff there.

4. YouTube - Can find just about anything on there. One day it's 80s videos, other times it's trailers, and some days it's looking up a volta release into a shadow samba walk.

5. Sporcle - I love the little trivia type games you can play here.

Topics you endlessly research or read about

1. Developments in NICU Nursing/Nursing in general - It's in my top 5 and I still should keep more up to date on stuff like this.

2. History of Detroit - I love my hometown, and eventually I got to a point where I should know more about it than just the sports teams I cheer for. From the low point of bankruptcy to its current renaissance, I love reading about it and the people too. That reminds me, you should check out Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown episode on Detroit, and if you can find it check Chef Marcus Samuelsson's No Passport Required episode on Dearborn and Detroit as well.

3. Asian-American History - more specifically, I like reading about Filipino contributions to Asian-American culture. I've found in the past whenever someone mentions Asian-American they always tend to think in terms of Japanese or Chinese contributions only.

4. Cold War History - I could read up on this stuff for hours, especially the different times the US and USSR almost accidentally ended up starting World War III.

5. Ballroom dance stuff - It's been my go-to hobby the last few years, and I've enjoyed looking up song ideas for routines, competition and showcase tips, and so on.

2. Twitter - another place I can't let go of. Typically find more up to date news here though, whether it's sports related or something related to King Dotardus the First and his idiot band of racist xenophobes. Whoops, there I go talking again-if you're shocked by that you must not know me well.

3. Reddit - Got hooked on to this a bit more recently, but some decent stuff there.

4. YouTube - Can find just about anything on there. One day it's 80s videos, other times it's trailers, and some days it's looking up a volta release into a shadow samba walk.

5. Sporcle - I love the little trivia type games you can play here.

Topics you endlessly research or read about

1. Developments in NICU Nursing/Nursing in general - It's in my top 5 and I still should keep more up to date on stuff like this.

2. History of Detroit - I love my hometown, and eventually I got to a point where I should know more about it than just the sports teams I cheer for. From the low point of bankruptcy to its current renaissance, I love reading about it and the people too. That reminds me, you should check out Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown episode on Detroit, and if you can find it check Chef Marcus Samuelsson's No Passport Required episode on Dearborn and Detroit as well.

3. Asian-American History - more specifically, I like reading about Filipino contributions to Asian-American culture. I've found in the past whenever someone mentions Asian-American they always tend to think in terms of Japanese or Chinese contributions only.

4. Cold War History - I could read up on this stuff for hours, especially the different times the US and USSR almost accidentally ended up starting World War III.

5. Ballroom dance stuff - It's been my go-to hobby the last few years, and I've enjoyed looking up song ideas for routines, competition and showcase tips, and so on.

Ive always had a secret sorta desire to try ballroom dancing. But, I have no-one to attempt it with nor do I think Id be any good lol

I can't recommend it enough. Look up a studio close to you (I go to Arthur Murray), and most places will have a free lesson. Don't need a partner. One of the best things I've ever done for myself.

Granted, it can turn into an expensive hobby in a hurry (especially at places like Arthur Murray/Fred Astaire/etc.), but most places that have social dancing available will tend to have a free group lesson at the start to teach basics and then open dancing where you can dance with whomever's available.

Top 5 Websites:#1 Bamaonline / Tidefans / Saturdaysdownsouth - Duh football research and news, now that football is over, probably will visit less until august. Lumped into one.#2 Facebook - Not sure why i go there, been trying to cut back on it.#3 youtube - watching sports, video game and board game stuff#4 kickstarter - checking up on past projects i backed, and searching for new ones to back even though i dont need any more stuff.#5 IMDB- whenever I watch a show or movie I am saying "I know that guy from .. wtf was that movie"

Top 5 searches#1 Boardgame stuff - Always searching for storage for some games. Rules clarifications. Custom game modes.#2 Development (work related) - Seems I always get stuck on how to do something, someone on the net has done it before.#3 Marvel / Comic book searches - a new trailer drops, I research that character even if I am familiar. #4 Alabama opponent stats - the week of the game Bama played I researched and studied what i could, I want to be prepared for the opponent. I also researched the top 5 to 10 teams. #5 Random search - Mainly raspberry pi stuff, but people would talk at work about something and research it.

I can't recommend it enough. Look up a studio close to you (I go to Arthur Murray), and most places will have a free lesson. Don't need a partner. One of the best things I've ever done for myself.

Granted, it can turn into an expensive hobby in a hurry (especially at places like Arthur Murray/Fred Astaire/etc.), but most places that have social dancing available will tend to have a free group lesson at the start to teach basics and then open dancing where you can dance with whomever's available.

that sounds really good, but, you ever get in a situation where you say, I shoulda known better? yea, that's me here.Maybe one day.Glad you are having a ball with it....ha!